Hydraulic apparatus



HYDRAULIC APPARATUS Original Filed Mzgch 2, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l W IN VE OR /fiflW A ATTORNEY Feb. 20, 1934. MOODY 1,947,653

HYDRAULI C APPARATUS Original Filed March 2, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 20, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT orric Original application March 2, 1928, Serial No. 258,530. Divided and this application December 5, 1931.

12 Claims.

This invention relates to hydraulic turbines and particularly to turbines of high specific speed provided with adjustable runner blades, one object of the invention being to provide improved I power means for adjusting the blades preferably by an electric motor.

A further object is to provide improved operating means which will be efiicient and certain in operation, and so constructed that the operating parts will be particularly effective in resisting or operating against the relatively large hydraulic forces acting upon the runner blades.

A further and more specific object is to provide an improved arrangement of an electric motor mounted on and rotatable with the runner shaft, the motor being adapted through improved gearing to actuate an operating rod for the runner blades.

The foregoing and other objects of my inven- 90 tion will be more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a propeller type turbine, parts of which are shown in elevation;

Fig. 2 is a section on line 22 of Fig. 1 reduced to a smaller scale;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on line 4-4 of Figs. 1 and 3.

While my present invention has been shown in connection with a high specific speed turbine, yet it will be understood that the invention is applicable to any other type of turbine where adjusting and operating mechanism is desired, although the mechanism herein described is particularly applicable to a high specific speed turbine of the type employing a runner 1 which carries, by a hub 2, outwardly-extending relatively flat blades 3, pivotally mounted in the hub. The hub has an outer wall and a hollow interior 4 provided with a partition 5 to which a hollow turbine shaft 6 is connected by a suitable flange and bolt arrangement '7, the turbine shaft thus terminating at the partition 5, thereby leaving the chamber 4 entirely free for containing substantially only the blade operating mechanism and the light grease or other lubricant used. The wall of the runner hub is preferably of such contour as to be a continuation of the inner surface 8 of a headcover structure 9, which forms in combination with the lower distributing ring 10 a continuation of a radial inflow passage 11, turning through a transition space 12 to direct the water in an Serial No. 579,323

axial direction and into a draft tube 13 after passing through the runner 1. Suitable angularly disposed stay vanes 14 and adjustable guide vanes or wicket gates 15 are disposed in the radial inlet to impart a whirl to and control the flow to the runner.

The runner herein shown has six blades, although the number may vary in accordance with operating conditions for any particular plant, but in general a relatively small number of blades will be employed. The runner blades 3 may be journaled in the runner hub in any of the various manners that are usually employed in turbine construction. Inasmuch as the present application is directed more particularly to the actuating means for the blade adjusting mechanism, it will not be necessary to describe in detail the construction by which the blades are adjustably supported in the hubs, as it is preferably the same as shown in my Patent No. 1,853,139, of which this application is a division. It will, therefore, suffice to state that the blades are adjustably supported in the wall of the hub as generally indicated at 16, each blade being provided with a depending arm 17 which swings about the axis of the runner blade. A suitable pin and slot arrangement 18 connects the depending arm 17 to a centrally disposed rotatable operating rod 19 which extends upwardly through the hollow runner shaft 6 to a point adjacent a coupling 20, Fig. 3, for connecting the runner and generator shafts 6 and 29 respectively, these two shafts as a unit being herein referred to as the turbine shaft.

To adjust the blades simultaneously it is only necessary to rotate operating rod 19 in one direction or the other or to reciprocate a corresponding rod in the event that other usual types of operating connections between the rod and blades are used such as shown in my copending application, Serial No. 631,985, filed April 14, 1923, now Patent No. 1,837,568, issued December 22, 1931. The particular mechanism herein disclosed for angularly adjusting the operating rod 19 comprises, as shown in Figs. 3 and 1-, a trans- 00 verse screw 25 journaled in a suitable spacing ring 26 which is disposed between flanges 27 and 28 of the runner and generator shafts 6 and 29 respectively. The spacing member 26 is rigidly connected to the flanges by suitable bolts 30 to 5 form a coupling which herein is considered broadly to constitute a part of the runner shaft. A chamber 31 is provided within the spacing memher to house an arm 32 which is secured to the upper end of operating rod 19. The outer end of arm no 32 is bifurcated to receive screw 25 which passes through a nut 33 in threaded engagement therewith. This nut is adapted to have angular and slidable movement in suitable slots 34 formed in each tongue of the bifurcated arm, thereby permitting the nut to move along the screw during rotation thereof While at the same time maintaining full operative engagement with arm 32.

To actuate screw 25, which extends through the shaft wall, there is provided a large worm gear 35 driven by a suitable worm mounted upon a shaft 36 of an electric motor 37. This electric motor, with its axis parallel to the turbine shaft, is carried externally of the shaft in a suitable bracket 38 clamped around turbine shaft 6 and provided with a counterweight 39 in diametrically opposed relation to motor 37. The screw 25 and worm and worm gear together constitute a double lock to prevent movement of the operating rod and blades when not being adjusted. The gearing 35, 36 is such that the motor may make a large number of continuous revolutions for full or partial adjustments.

To permit blade adjustment during runner rotation, current to the electric motor may be supplied from two or more slip rings 40 connected to the motor by suitable wires 41 and to a source of current supply through stationary brushes 42 carried by any suitable stationary bracket. The lead wires to the brushes 42 may be connected to a manually-operable reversing switch so as to obtain blade adjustment in opposite directions, or the wires may be connected to a suitable governor-controlled mechanism. The motor, coupling and associated elements are enclosed in a suitable cylindrical housing 43 which is preferably split and held in a suitable manner by flanges and screws, to the coupling and runner shaft.

It is thus seen that the adjustment of the runner blades involves a relatively simple mode of operation of the actuating and operating mechanisms in that upon rotation of motor 3'7 in either direction worm gear 35 and screw 25 will be rotated so as to move nut 33 axially along screw 25. Due to the slidable connection between nut 33 and arm 32, this arm will be angularly adjusted so as to partially rotate operating rod 19 which in turn will actuate the blade arms 1'7 through the pin and slot connection 18. When the current to the motor is cut off, adjustment of the operating rod will cease and be locked in position due to the worm and worm gear driving connection. While this gearing is actuated by a motor carried by shaft 6, it will of course be understood that the construction may be inverted so that the motor is carried by the generator shaft 29.

This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 258,530, filed March 2, 1928, now Patent No. 1,853,139, issued April 12, 1932, this divisional application being directed more specifically to the electric or other rotary type of motor for effecting adjustment of the runner blades in an improved manner.

It will of course be understood that various changes in the construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination in a hydraulic turbine comprising a runner provided with adjustable blades, a runner shaft having a hollow portion, an operating rod extending through saidhollow portion, an operative connection between said rod and blades for effecting adjustment thereof, and means for actuating said rod including a rotatable motor carried by and disposed externally of said shaft, and means extending through the wall of the shaft for operatively connecting said motor and rod.

2. The combination in a hydraulic turbine comprising a runner provided with adjustable blades, a runner shaft having a hollow portion, an operating rod extending through said hollow portion, an operative connection between said rod and blades for eifecting adjustment thereof, and means for actuating said rod including an electric motor carried by said runner shaft on the exterior thereof with their axes in parallelism and means extending through the wall of said shaft for operatively connecting said motor and rod.

3. The combination in a hydraulic turbine comprising a runner provided with adjustable blades, a runner shaft having a hollow portion, an operatlng rod extending through said hollow portion, an operative connection between said rod and blades for effecting adjustment thereof, means for actuating said rod including an electric motor carried by said runner shaft on the exterior thereof with their axes in parallelism and means extending through the wall of said shaft for operatively connecting said motor and rod, and a counterweight also carried by said shaft so as to balance said motor.

4'. The combination in a hydraulic turbine comprising a runner provided with adjustable blades, a runner shaft having a hollow portion, a blade adjusting rod extending through said hollow portion, an electric motor carried by said shaft on the exterior thereof, and means for effecting adjustment of said rod and blades including a screw actuated by said electric motor.

5. The combination in a hydraulic turbine comprising a runner having a hub and adjustable blades, a shaft attached to said hub for supporting said runner, a blade adjusting shaft disposed within said runnershaft, an electric motor and slip rings carried by said shaft at a point axially spaced from said hub and rotatable with said runner, reduction gearing between said motor and adjusting shaft, and a governor operating in accordance with the turbine speed and adapted to control current supply to said motor through said slip rings whereby said motor may be actuated in reverse directions.

6. The combination in a hydraulic turbine comprising a runner provided with adjustable blades, a hollow shaft for said runner, an operating rod extending through said rollow shaft, operative connections between said rod and blades whereby the blades are adjusted upon ac tuation of said rod, and means for actuating said rod including an electric motor carried by and rotatable with the runner shaft externally thereof, a screw, means for operatively connecting said screw and rod, and gearing connecting said screw and motor.

'7. The combination in a hydraulic turbine comprising a runner provided with adjustable blades, a hollow shaft for supporting said runner, an operating rod extending through said hollow shaft, means operatively connecting said rod to said blades for effecting adjustment thereof, and means for actuating said rod including a radial arm carried thereby, a screw disposed transversely of said shaft, means providing threaded connection between said screw and arm, a rotatable motor carried by and rotatable with said shaft externally thereof, and gear connections between said motor and screw for actuation thereof.

8. The combination in a hydraulic turbine comprising a runner provided with adjustable blades, a hollow shaft for supporting said runner, an operating rod extending through said hollow shaft and operatively connected to said blades for effecting adjustment thereof, and means for actuating said rod including a radial arm carried thereby, a screw disposed transversely of said shaft, a nut on said screw having pivotal and slidable engagement with said arm, a rotatable motor carried by and rotatable with said shaft externally thereof, and gear connections between said motor and screw for actuation thereof.

9. The combination in a hydraulic turbine comprising a runner provided with adjustable blades, a turbine shaft having shaft sections connected by flanges thereon, one of said shaft sections being hollow, an operating rod disposed within the said hollow shaft and operatively connected to said blades for effecting adjustment thereof, and means for actuating said rod including a screw disposed between said flanges and a motor supported by one of said shafts externally thereof for operating said screw.

10. The combination in a hydraulic turbine comprising a runner provided with adjustable blades, a turbine shaft having shaft sections connected by flanges thereon, one of said shaft sections being hollow, a spacing member disposed between said flanges all of which are rigidly connected together, an operating rod extending through said hollow shaft and operatively connected to said blades for effecting adjustment thereof, a screw journaled in said spacing member and operatively connected to said rod, a motor carried by said shaft externally thereof, and gearing between said motor and screw.

11. The combination in a hydraulic turbine comprising a runner provided with adjustable blades, a turbine shaft having shaft sections connected by flanges thereon, one of said shaft sections being hollow, a spacing member disposed between said flanges all of which are rigidly connected together, an operating rod extending through said hollow shaft and operatively connected to said blades for effecting adjustment thereof, a screw journaled in said spacing membar and operatively connected to said rod, a motor carried by said turbine shaft externally thereof, and worm gearing between said motor and screw whereby the screw and worm gearing constitute a double lock against movement of the operating rod when the motor is inoperative.

12. The combination in a hydraulic turbine comprising a runner provided with adjustable blades, a hollow shaft for supporting said runner, an operating rod extending through said hollow shaft, means operatively connecting said rod to said blades for effecting adjustment thereof, and means for actuating said rod including a radial arm carried thereby, a screw disposed transversely of said shaft, means providing threaded connection between said screw and arm, and a rotatable motor carried by and rotatable with said shaft externally thereof and operatively con nected to said screw to actuate the same.

LEWIS FERRY MOODY. 

